Device for motion-picture printing.



A. WOLFSOHN.

DEVICE FOR MOTION PICTURE PRINTING.

' APPLICATION FILED D C 25 I913- 1,136,194, Patented Apr. 20, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

the next scene in UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ADOLF WOLIBOHR, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., LSSIGNOR TO PICTURE RELIANCE 00320381101, 0! NEW YORK, N. Y., A. CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

DEVICE FOR MOTION-PICTURE PRINTING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 20, 1915.

Application filed December 26, 1913. .Serial No. 808,821.

To all. whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ADOLF a subject of the Russian Emperor, residing at New'York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Im rovements in Devices for Motion-Picture qrinting, of which the following is aspecification.

The present invention relates to machines for lprinting motion picture films and particu arly to a light adjusting mechanism therefor; i

The strip of fihn usually contains a number of scenes requiring difierent lights for the printin from the ne ative on to the positive. Ifitherto to regu ate the light for the difierent'scenes a dial was used, which dial carries an indicator fitted with an index in by means of which the indicator may be set by the operator at any point to regu late the opening of the printing aperture. This arrangement requires the constant attendance of the operator so that at the time one scene has been 'rinted and a new scene is brought into printing position the operator must change the position of the indicator for the next scene. With such structure, one has to entirely depend upon the watchfulneas of the attendant and should it happen that the attendant missed to ad,- just the aperture changing mechanism for Iproper time, the entire of film is spoi ed. e object of the resent invention is to render the change 0 light "automatic so as to dispense with the attendant and thereby obtain a vfull automatic control of the change of light for anynumber of scenes contained on a single strip of film. By virtue of such an' arrangement the attendant is able in advanceto adjust for the difierent lights for all scenesion the film so that at the completion of one scene the light will be automatically adjusted for the next scene."

'To" accomplish my object I provide a ght changing mechanism whichis automatically controlled so that at predetermined times the light for the different scenes'will automaticallv adjust itself.

I My invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of parts as fully set forth in the annexed claims.

M invention will be more fully understood by reference to the accompanying VVOLFSOHN,

. adjusting device.

. maximum number of scenes there ma drawings in which similar reference letters denote corresponding parts and in which-- Figure 1 showsa front elevation of myautomatic adjusting device; Fig. 2 is a. side elevation thereof; Fig. 3 is an end view of the apparatus; Fig. 4 isa part of the print-f mg machine illustrating the feed of the negative film and the socalled click or electric switch; Fig. 5' shows the electric connections of my device with the rheostat and Fig. 6 denotes a part of a negative film with a notch therein arranged at the junction of two successive scenes.

I shall first describe so much of the printing machine and film feed as may be neces sary to fu lly understand my new automatic a denotes aspool on which the strip 6 of negative film is wound and from which it is conveyed around guide rollers past the aperture gate 0 to the receivi roller 0!. The negative film b has at one of its longitudina edges a notch b (Fig. 6) provided at the unction of each two successive scenes I), b and by virtue. of these notches the negative film is adapted to operate in well known -manner, the click or circuit closer 0 controlling the circuit of the battery f (Fi 4). In the hitherto used machines this clicfi was used to electrically control the change of prmtmg aperture.

Coming now to my new automatic adjustin device, the same consists of a substantia y rectangular plate or board 1 to which are aflixed a number of vertically extend" metal strips or electriccontact ieces, L l fi III, etc. arranged adjacent'and parallel to one another. Fixed by means of bolts 3' to the board 1 and extending crosswise relative to and above the contact strips LIL-XX, are a series of bars 3, 3,--3 v(Figs. 1 and 3) arranged in avertical row above and parallelto one another. The number of these bars may be any'desired one according to ti: contained ona'strip of film. Each 0 the bars 3, 3', '3--3 on its outer face-bears. numbers running from 1 to a maximum number, which numbers denote the light desired for particular scenes. The numbers on the bars 3,. 3', 3'-3 are arranged so that there is a number opposite each con tact piece or strip I, IIXX. Mounted on each of the bars 3, 3'-3 is a contact slide 4 or the like which extends rearwardly and is adapted to make contact with one contact piece or strip at a time. Thus for instance, in the position shown in Fig. 1, the contact slide 4 on the uppermost bar 3 is shown to occupy the position 12 and to contact with the piece or strip XII. At the back of the board land suitably attached to it is a rheostat 5 of the well known construction, with which the diiferent contact pieces I, II--XX are electrically connected by wires 6 leading from points 6, 6 ,6 6 at the lower end of the contact strips I, II-XX as shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 5. The rheostat is connected to one pole of the-main electric.

source (not shown) by wire 7 (Figs. 2 and 4).

'The"'horizontal bars 3, 3-3 are each electrically connected at the rear of the board by wires 9, 9, 9'----9 leading from points 8, 8'8{ to corresponding points 10, 10, 10 of metal plates 11, 11, 11 11 arranged at the side of the horizontal bars 3, 3--3 and adjacent thereto. The number of metal plates 11, 1111 corres onds to that 'of the horizontal bars 3, 33. The plates 11, 11'-11 are somewhat narrower and arranged nearer to one another than the horizontal bars 3, 3-13 so that the set of bars or plates 11, 1111" occupy a smaller space on the board than.is occupied by the set of bars 3, 3'3".

Fixed to the board on the face on which the plates 3 and 11 are provided are two pairs of brackets 12, 13 in which two parallel vertical guide rods 14 are fixed, which serve as guides for a vertical rack 15. This vertical rack is at its lower end fixed to a weighted horizontal arm 16 slidably engaging the vertical rods 14 and one end of which projects above the space occupied by the plates 11, 1111 and carries a contact 17 adapted to make contact with one of the contact pieces or metal strips 11', 1T'l-11 at a time. This contact piece 17 carries the wire 18 leadin to the other pole of the electric source not shown) as seen in Figs. 1 and 2 and indicated in Fig; 4. Cotiperating .with this rack is a sprin actuated double pawl 20 which is pivote fixed to'the board.- There are as many teeth in the rack 15 as there are plates 11, 11 11 or bars 3, 33 and they are spaced so as to correspond with the spacing of the plates 11, 11, 1111 (Figs. 2 and 7).

The teeth of the awl 20 are arranged to be alternately broug t into engagement with the rack, one tooth serving as an auxiliary means to prevent the rack from moving at a time any more than a distance between two successive teeth of the rack. This pawl is controlled from an electro-magnet 19 which is energized from the circuit of the battery f which circuit is controlled by the afore named switch or click 0 (Figs. 2-, 4 and 7).

The mode of operation is as follows in a bracket 21.

Preparatory to printing the film the slides 4 are adjusted on the bars 3, 3'3" in accordance with the difl'erent lights desired for the different scenes, that is to say, as- I su'ming there are three scenes on the film and that bar 3 is for the first scene, bar 3' for the second and bar 3 for the third and assuming that the first scene requires light indicated by the number 12 on the bar 3, the'second scene requires light indicated by the number 6 on bar 3' the third scene requires light indicated by the number 14 on bar 3 then the slides 4 of the respective bars 3, 3', 3 are shifted so that the pins or slides 4 will tally with the said numbers 12., 6 and 14. After this adjust ment was done, and the machine started the attendant may, if he desires, leave the machine to itself. The film will be fed automaticallv in well known manner from roller a to roller d. The rack at the start of the printing operation occupies the highest 0- sition, that is, where the contact 17 ma es contact with the upmost late or strip 11. As a notch b of said film g arrives opposite the click 6, 2'. e. at the end of the first scene it closes in well known manner the circuit of the battery f, thereby energizing the electromagnet 19. The electromagnet attracting the pawl 20 releases one of its teeth from the rack 15, so that the latter is allowed to drop a distance equal to the s ace between two teeth of said rack, at w ich time theother tooth of the rack engages the rack, stopping its further movement. With the displacement of the rack the pin or con tact 17 has been shifted from plate or stri 11, to strip 11'1. Now while the contact 1 was in contact with plate 11 the light required for the first scene an indicated bv the number 12 on plate 3 was obtained,

as the electric circuit controlling that light was flowing from the electric source, through the rheostat 5, to point 6" of contact piece XII then over pin i-to plate 3, thence from point 8 through wire 9 to point 10 of plate 11, thence through contact 17 and wire 18 back to the electric source. Now that. the contact 17 has been shifted from plate 11 to plate 11' owing to movement of the rack under the control of the pawl 20 and electromagnet 19, the circuit through plates 3 and 11 has been broken and a circuit closed'passing through plates 3' and 11'. Owing to previous adjustment of contact slide 4 on bar 3 to tally with number 6 and contact with metal strip VI the light controlling circuit leading to rheostat will now flow throughcontact piece VI. The light required for the second scene on the film b will have been thus automatically adjusted. As the feed of the film continues and the notch b has left the click the circuit of the battery f is broken.

the electromagnet 19 disenergized and the paw-1 20 under the pressure of its spring 20 or bygravity swings back into its initial position, engaging the rack in its adjusted position and holds it there until the next op-' eration which takes place when at the passage to the next-scene, the respective notch on the film causes the click 6 to again close the circuit of the battery 7. By this second closure of the battery circuit, the electromagnet again is energized and attracts pawl 20 permitting the rack and consequently the contact 17 to move down to make contact with contact plate 11 The bar 3 by the previous adjustment of pin 4 to number 12 is connected to contact strip XIV- so that the light for the next scene will now be automatically obtained. I

It is, of course, understood that pawl20 must be so constructed that while it IS being attracted by the electromagnet, one of its teeth, in the case shown, the upper tooth, will first release the rack 15 before the lower or opposite tooth will engage with it, so as to permit the rack to move the distance be tween two teeth. On the other hand, when the upper tooth is released and the pawl swings back to initial position, the lower tooth must hold the rack 15 until the upper tooth engages it in order to prevent the slipping of the rack.

While I have described in detail the structure of my new device, I do not wish it to be understood as limiting myself to the particular structure, for "it will be clear that various changes may be made in the structure by those skilled in the art without de-,

parting from the spirit of my invention.

I therefore claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In film printing machines, a light controlling mechanism, com rising a manually operated switch board or controlling the circuit of an electric source,a rheostat therefor, electric connections between the same, a set of contact pieces electrically connected with difierent parts of said switch board, an electromagnet, an automatically controlled switch for a circuit of an independent electric source controlling said electromagnet and means controlled by said electromagnct to automatically adjust the electric connection between saidcontact pieces and the main electric source.

2. In a film printing machine, the combination with a notched film and a circuit closing means controlled thereby, of an electro-magnet energized by the circuit of an electric source controlled by said circuitclosing means, a rheostat, a manually operated switch for a circuit of an independent source passing through said rheostat and including electric light and means controlled by said electro-magnet and adapted to automatically control said last named electric circuit through said rheostat and adjust the light,

according to the previous adjustment of the manual switch. 3. In a film printing machine, the combination with a notched film and a circuit closing means controlled thereby, of-an electro-magnet energized by the circuit of an electric source controlled by said circuit closing means, a rheostat, a manual] operated switch for a circuit of an indepen ent source passing through said rheostat and including electric light and an electric switch controlled by said electro-magnet and adapted to automatically control said last named light controlling device, comprisin an electromagnet controlled by said cli a rack controlled by said electromagnet, and carrying a contact piece and a set of contact ieces which coiiperate with said first name con- .tact liiece to form a switch.

n a film printing machine, the combination with a notched film and a circuit closing means controlled by said film, of a hand operated switch, an electromagnet controlled by said' click, a rack controlled by said electromagnet and carrying a contact piece, and a set of contact pieces which cooperate with said first named contact piece and which are electrically connected to said hand operated switch.

' 7. In a film printing machine, a light controlling mechanism, com rising a manually operated switch board or controlling the circuit of an electric source, a rheostat therefor, electric connections between the same, a set of contact pieces electrically connected with different parts of said switch board, an

electrolnagnet, an automatically controlled switch for a circuit of an independent electric source controlling said electromagnet, and a rack controlled by said electromagnet and adapted in cooperation with said contact pieces to automatically adjust the electric connections between said contact pieces and the main electric source.

8. In a film printing machine. a light controlling mechanism, com rising a manually operated switch board or controlling the circuit of an electric source, a rheostat therefor, electric connections between the same. a set of contact pieces electrically connected with different parts of said switch board, an electromagnet. an automatically controlled manually operated switch board for controlling the circuit of an electric source, a rheostat therefor, electric connections between the same, a set of contact pieces electrically connected with different parts of said switch board,and an electromagnet controlled by said click and carrying a contact piece cooperating with said set of contact pieces to automatically adjust the electric connection between said contact pieces and the electric source.

In testimon whereof I aflix my signatur in presence 0 two witnesses.

AD-OLF WOLFSOHN. Witnesses F. D. JUNIOR, .D. KLEIN. 

